Langvad takes impressive win
By Cycling News
Markt surprises himself and his competitors
Annika Langvad (Easton Rockets) and Karl Markt (Felt Ötztal X-Bionic) won the European cross country mountain bike season opener at round one of the Cyprus Sunshine Cup in Voroklini on Sunday. Langvad of Denmark won ahead of Slovenian Blaza Klemencic (Felt Ötztal X-Bionic) and compatriot Kristine Norgaard (HMTBK). Markt of Austria finished ahead of Swede Emil Lindgren and Swiss Fabian Giger (both Rabobank Giant).
On a nice, sunny day, Langvad was racing in her own league. As the defending Cyprus Sunshine Cup champion, she wasn't bothered by her contenders and set off the front soon after the start loop. Former marathon champion Klemencic accompanied her initially.
Then, on every one of the first four of five laps, Langvad gained time, adding about one minute per lap to her lead over Klemencic. On the final lap, she took it a bit easier and crossed the line in 1:45:39.
"I didn't change my winter preparation, and I cannot understand why it works like this," said Langvad. "But that shows me that I still can improve as a rider. I'm just happy with this start of the year."
Klemencic crossed the line with a comfortable second place at 5:06. Norgaard finished the 32km race in third place, a further 4:04 back. The Danish marathon specialist was racing her first cross country event abroad and was suprised at her result.
"Annika was too strong, I had no chance to stay with her," said Klemencic. "I was riding with a full suspension bike and could go very fast on the downhills. But in the uphills, I was not so fast, and Annika got away. But to be on the podium at the first race is always good."
"I was so nervous before the race and I never expected it like this," said Norgaard. "When I recently did a test my coach said it was not bad but not as good as last year. I'm really surprised about my very best cross country race."
Former four cross World Cup winner Anneke Beerten, racing her first cross country race, stopped directly at the start due to a mechanical problem.
Lindgren's mistake opens the door for Markt
In the men's race, five riders went together into the last of six laps. Emil Lindgren and Fabian Giger were racing for the same team and may have had an advantage in numbers, but surprisingly it was Austrian Markt who grabbed the win.
Lindgren and Giger rode a lot throughout the race in the wind to shrink the leading group through attrition. Finnish champion Jukka Vastaranta (Milka-Trek) was the last rider to be dropped from what ended up as a five-man group on the final lap.
On the first climb, Markt took the lead and pushed hard. Lindgren came to the front, and then Giger assumed the lead from his teammate. The efforts proved too fast for Frank Schotman, who dropped back to seventh place. It was also too fast for Periklis Ilias, who ended up in fourth position.
Giger fell off the pace of the leaders, letting Markt and Lindgren go. The pair made it to the top of the course together, but then Lindgren made a small mistake - he dropped his chain. That gave Markt the chance to get in the lead going into the next downhill.
Markt gained time from then onward and was pedalling furiously toward the finish, where he crossed the line in 1:45:39. Lindgren was 20 seconds back in second place and Giger was third at 47 seconds.
"My full suspension bike surely was an advantage today, but I didn't expect a win," said Markt. "Maybe top five but not the victory. My start was not that good but then I found a good rhythm. When I had the gap, I was riding hard but then was surprised that nobody was coming behind me. In the windy section my power was the decisive advantage."
Lindgren called it a "good day" despite his mistake. "Two Rabobank guys on the podium, that's good for the team. Today for everybody was like testing the legs. Next weekend, it's gonna be more important."
"Last year, I was 30th and this year I was third," said a jubilant Giger. "So that is much better. I feel well, and to be on the podium is cool. My form is good even though I still miss the feeling that comes from having been racing. I made a lot of mistakes."
The Cyprus Sunshine Cup will continue on Friday with the first stage of three-day Afxentia stage race.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Otztal X-Bionic | 1:49:35 |
2 | Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 0:00:20 |
3 | Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 0:00:47 |
4 | Periklis Ilias (Gre) Greek National Team - Protek | 0:01:18 |
5 | Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys-Evenza | 0:01:32 |
6 | Jiri Friedl (Cze) Rider Rubena Birell Specialized | 0:01:33 |
7 | Frank Schotman (Ned) MPL Specialized Mtb Team | 0:01:42 |
8 | Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rider Rubena Birell Specialized | 0:01:52 |
9 | Alban Lakata (Aut) Ergon Topeak | 0:02:00 |
10 | Irjan Luttenberg (Ned) Dutch National Team | 0:02:02 |
11 | Matthias Wengelin (Swe) Swedish National Team | 0:02:12 |
12 | Oliver Beckingsale (GBr) Endura Mtb Racing | 0:02:31 |
13 | Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Versluys-Evenza | 0:02:38 |
14 | Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Dutch National Team | 0:03:27 |
15 | Simon Scheiber (Aut) Felt Otztal X-Bionic | 0:03:35 |
16 | Tim Wynants (Bel) Milka-Trek | 0:03:42 |
17 | Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 0:03:43 |
18 | Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Milka-Trek | 0:04:17 |
19 | Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Milka-Trek | 0:04:35 |
20 | Stefan Sahm (Ger) Team Bulls | 0:05:24 |
21 | Jeroen Boelen (Ned) Milka-Trek | 0:05:46 |
22 | Bas Peters (Ned) Meerida Combee | 0:06:01 |
23 | Maxim Gogolev (Rus) | 0:06:14 |
24 | Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Anchor | 0:06:34 |
25 | Martin Loo (Est) | 0:07:16 |
26 | Ivan Smirnov (Rus) Primorskiy District | 0:07:17 |
27 | Mattias Nilsson (Swe) Swedish National Team | 0:07:20 |
28 | Ivan Seledkov (Rus) | 0:07:55 |
29 | Tim Lemmers (Ned) Dutch National Team | 0:08:48 |
30 | Mikhail Baryshnikov (Rus) Primorskiy District | 0:08:51 |
31 | Fredrik Edin (Swe) Cykloteket | 0:09:11 |
32 | Erik Groen (Ned) Dutch National Team | 0:10:45 |
33 | Jonsson Olof (Swe) Swedish National Team | 0:10:53 |
34 | Henrique Avancini Da Silva (Bra) ISD Cycling Team | 0:11:08 |
35 | Lee Williams (GBr) Wiggle | 0:11:22 |
36 | Alexander Vincent Blomqvist (Swe) Alingsås Sportsclub | 0:11:29 |
37 | Nicolas Jeantet (Ita) ISD Cycling Team | 0:11:59 |
38 | Fagerli Ole-Christian (Nor) | 0:12:20 |
39 | Marek Konwa (Pol) Milka-Trek | 0:12:41 |
40 | Evgeny Nikolaev (Rus) Primorskiy District | 0:12:58 |
41 | Timofei Ivanov (Rus) Primorskiy District | 0:12:58 |
42 | Marios Athanasiades (Cyp) Omonoia | 0:13:20 |
43 | Anatoly Gravilov (Rus) | 0:13:25 |
44 | Sang Hoon Na (Kor) Team Bilco | 0:13:36 |
45 | Mykhaylo Batsutsa (Ukr) | 0:13:59 |
46 | Marco Minnaard (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 0:14:05 |
47 | Seyia Hirano (Jpn) Anchor | 0:14:06 |
48 | Magnus Darvell (Swe) Swedish National Team | 0:15:11 |
49 | Georgios Pattes - Toumanis (Gre) Greek National Team - Protek | 0:15:42 |
50 | Gluth Martin (Ger) Team Bulls | 0:15:49 |
51 | Antoniades Dimitrios (Gre) Greek National Team | 0:16:59 |
52 | Kazuhiro Yamamoto (Jpn) Canondale JPN | 0:17:54 |
-1lap | Chris Andrews (GBr) Orange Monkey/Cannondale | |
-1lap | Victor Trokhin (Rus) | |
-1lap | Anton Liubyi (Ukr) | |
-1lap | Vasilis Adamou (Cyp) Omonoia | |
-1lap | Michalis Kitis (Cyp) Pol | |
-1lap | Jonas De Backer (Bel) Rocky Roads Orbea | |
-1lap | Paul Beales (GBr) Orange Monkey/Cannondale | |
-2laps | Alexios Kokovikas (Gre) Greek National Team | |
-2laps | Giorgos Fattas (Cyp) Limassol Sporting Club | |
-2laps | Denis Khobotov (Rus) | |
-2laps | Fabrice Mels (Bel) Rocky Roads Orbea | |
-2laps | Ilya Dyshakov (Rus) | |
-3laps | Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls | |
-3laps | Ben Roff (GBr) Orange Monkey/Cannondale | |
-3laps | Timotheos Skettos (Cyp) Sporting Club Lemesos | |
-3laps | Ruslan Gritsan (Rus) | |
-3laps | Pavel Pryadein (Rus) | |
-4laps | Aleksey Leontyev (Rus) | |
-4laps | Kiriakos Skettos (Cyp) Omonoia | |
-4laps | Pantelis Christoforou (Cyp) Agios Mnason | |
-4laps | Loukas Theodorou (Cyp) Hraklitos | |
-4laps | Zaher El Hage (Lib) | |
-4laps | Salah Rabah (Lib) | |
-4laps | Savvas Petrou (Cyp) Hraklitos | |
DNF | Alexey Kuzmenko (Rus) Primorskiy District | |
DNF | Jelmer Jubbega (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | |
DNF | Vladislavs Neroznaks (Lat) P.O.L | |
DNS | Thomas Dietsch (Fra) Team Bulls | |
DNS | Aggelos Kiriakou (Cyp) Agios Mnason |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Annika Langvad (Den) Easton Rockets | 1:45:39 |
2 | Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Otztal X-Bionic | 0:05:07 |
3 | Kristine Nørgaard (Den) HMTBK | 0:09:08 |
4 | Janka Stevkova (Svk) CK Epk Dohnany | 0:11:08 |
5 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team | 0:12:17 |
6 | Rie Katayama (Jpn) Specialezed JPN | 0:12:18 |
7 | Laura Turpijn (Ned) Dutch National Team | 0:12:55 |
8 | Tatjana Dold (Ger) Easton Rockets | 0:14:14 |
9 | Iana Belomoyna (Ukr) | 0:15:36 |
10 | Asa Erlandsson (Swe) Swedish National Team | 0:16:06 |
11 | Melanie Spath (Ger) Cycleways | 0:16:49 |
12 | Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek Kmc Trade Team | 0:17:22 |
-1lap | Krista Park (USA) Cannondale/Notubes | 0:17:44 |
-1lap | Oxana Rybakova (Rus) | |
-1lap | Maaris Meier (Est) Nissan Proshop Team | |
-1lap | Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) Rijwielpaleis Mountainbike Team | |
-2laps | Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer-BMC | |
-2laps | Elena Gogoleva (Rus) | |
-2laps | Dosa Eszter (Hun) Vitalitas Se | |
-2laps | Ekaterina Anoshina (Rus) Primorskiy District | |
-2laps | Viktoriya Sultanova (Ukr) C.C. Roma | |
-2laps | Marta Terershchuk (Ukr) | |
-2laps | Stephania Magri MTA19771009 Squadra Donne | |
-2laps | Michaela Malarikova (Svk) CK Suicmub Bratislava | |
-3laps | Natasha Barry (GBr) Progression Fitness | |
-4laps | Jelena Petrova (Lat) | |
-4laps | Emmy Thelberg (Swe) Swedish National Team | |
DNF | Michelle Hediger (Swi) Fischer-BMC | |
DNS | Anneke Beerten (Ned) Milka-Trek | |
DNS | Demetra Antoniou (Cyp) |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Boredskii Ruslan (Rus) Primorskiy District | 1:03:35 |
2 | Vladislav Bondaruk (Rus) | 0:01:05 |
3 | Dennis Wahlqvist (Swe) | 0:02:19 |
4 | Alex Baker (GBr) Orange Monkey/Cannondale | 0:03:18 |
5 | Loizou Christos (Cyp) Omonoia | 0:04:58 |
6 | Komin Egor (Rus) Primorskiy District | 0:05:01 |
7 | Ivan Podgornov (Rus) | 0:06:12 |
8 | Katsouris Leondios (Cyp) | 0:09:48 |
9 | Roman Balashov (Kaz) Kaz Olympic Trainig Center | 0:10:14 |
10 | Ilya Chaplygin (Kaz) Kaz Olympic Trainig Center | 0:12:01 |
11 | Mikhail Protonin (Rus) | 0:14:48 |
12 | Pavel Aidubayev (Kaz) Kaz Olympic Trainig Center | 0:16:00 |
13 | Sergey Kovalchuk (Kaz) Kaz Olympic Trainig Center | 0:16:13 |
14 | Papacharalambous Kiriakos (Cyp) | 0:17:53 |
15 | Kiriakou Mamas (Cyp) Agios Mnason | 0:25:49 |
-1lap | Andreas Kangelaris (Cyp) | |
DNF | Kropachev Egor (Rus) Primorskiy District | |
DNF | Irineos Koutsiou (Cyp) Hrakleitos | |
DQ | Artem Shevtsov (Ukr) |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Evgeniya Nekrasova (Rus) | 0:58:01 |
2 | Rimma Luchshenko (Kaz) | 0:06:02 |
3 | Marzhan Baitleuova (Kaz) | 0:18:40 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Feggaras Doros (Cyp) Omonoia | 0:55:06 |
2 | Ioannou Marios (Cyp) POL | 0:06:13 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Mick Farley (GBr) Nireas | 1:05:34 |
2 | Antreou Basos (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | 0:06:11 |
3 | Vasilas Eystathios (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | 0:10:04 |
4 | Achilleos Sofoklis (Cyp) Spoko | 0:18:01 |
DNS | Damalas Koulis (Cyp) Omonoia |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Paltagian Dimos (Cyp) Pol | 0:51:40 |
2 | Xristodoulidis Markos (Cyp) Agios Mnason | 0:02:08 |
3 | Ilya Mateev (Rus) | 0:07:59 |
4 | Dimitriades Andreas (Cyp) Omonoia | 0:19:58 |
5 | Michailides Stelios (Cyp) Apollon | 0:28:22 |
6 | Mina Panayiotis (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | 0:33:13 |
7 | Kiriakos Andreaou (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | 0:35:16 |
-1lap | Antoniou Andreas (Cyp) Pol | |
-1lap | Theocharous Andys (Cyp) Pol | |
-1lap | Dimitriou Michalis (Cyp) Apollon | |
DNF | Petrides Andreas (Cyp) Pol |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Katsikidou Antigoni (Cyp) Apollon | 0:53:11 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Anton Maltsev (Rus) | 0:26:14 |
2 | Konstantin Trofimov (Rus) | 0:01:56 |
3 | Michael Xristodoulos (Cyp) Agios Mnason | 0:04:48 |
4 | Andreas Poullakos (Cyp) Hraklitos | 0:10:08 |
5 | Andreas Papastaurou (Cyp) P.O.L | 0:15:52 |
6 | Adamou Alexandros (Cyp) Omonoia | 0:15:53 |
DSQ | Christou Andreas (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | |
DSQ | Petrou Kiriakos (Cyp) Hraklitos |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Christodoulou Anastasia (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | 0:48:49 |
2 | Zotti Eleni (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | 0:04:26 |
3 | Polidorou Elina (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | 0:09:50 |
4 | Karagiorgi Kiriaki (Cyp) Podilatiki Kipros | 0:15:25 |
DNF | Marina Tumanova (Rus) | |
DNF | Regina Skobelva (Rus) |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Spirou Marios D8cdb7297 Pod Kipros | 1:05:46 |
2 | Stavros Zorpas Da805cf59 | 0:05:26 |
3 | Marios Antoniou D25e4438c | 0:12:36 |
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